Getting To Know You
by misakichi1
Summary: AU When Ranma and Akane meet, they don't find out that they're engaged; instead, their parents make them believe Ranma is Akane's trainer!
1. Meeting

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma, so don't sue or anything!  
  
Saotome, it's perfect! What a wonderful way to make Ranma the heir to the dojo without forcing him to marry! You did say he was 16, right? I look forward to your stay. And also, in your last letter, you said there was some kind of surprise. What was it?  
  
Soun  
  
Genma read the letter silently and smiled. 'If only he knew...'  
  
~~  
  
"Akane?!" Soun yelled.  
  
"She's out in the dojo, training, dad." Nabiki told him.  
  
Soun found her in the dojo, just like Nabiki said. "Akane?"  
  
"Yeah, dad?" She asked, not even taking a break.  
  
"You know how I stopped teaching you any martial arts a long time ago?"  
  
"Yeah...?"  
  
"Well, I've decided to hire a trainer who could teach you more."  
  
"A trainer?"  
  
"Yes, his name is Ranma Saotome, about your age. His father and I go way back. He spent most of his life training in China."  
  
"Where would he stay?"  
  
"Uh, here, actually."  
  
"I don't want a trainer!"  
  
"It's already been decided!"  
  
"Fine!" Akane stormed off.  
  
~~  
  
Akane looked out the window. The rain was coming down pretty hard. She had always loved to watch the rain. There was something about it that just seemed to wash away her problems.  
  
~~  
  
"It's raining! Perfect!" Genma cried. "Ranma, we'd better get going. They're expecting us to be there by tomorrow."  
  
Ranma glared at his father. "What do I have to train some girl for anyways?"  
  
"We've gone through this! Let's go!"  
  
~~  
  
Although she enjoyed watching the rain, she was glad it had cleared up the night before. She was eager to start her morning jog. A few blocks from her house, she saw an unfamiliar face. It was a redheaded girl chasing after a panda. Akane shrugged it off and kept jogging, until she realized what she had passed of as normal. 'A girl chasing a PANDA???' Akane stared at the girl, who was shouting some, uh, colorful words. The girl must have noticed Akane's stares, because she turned around, laughed nervously, and asked if she knew where the Tendo Dojo was.  
  
"I'm Akane Tendo, why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, I'm Ranma Saotome, and I'm supposed to be there, I think..."  
  
"You're Ranma? I thought you were a boy."  
  
"About that-" Akane cut him/her off.  
  
"It must've been a mistake. Oh, well, I'd prefer a girl trainer anyways."  
  
"You're the one I'm supposed to train?"  
  
"Yeah. Well, we'd better get home for breakfast." Akane showed her the way to her house and was a little freaked out when the panda started following.  
  
"If it's not too much trouble, could I have a cup of hot tea?"  
  
"Sure." Akane fixed her some oolong tea. Ranma raised the cup and poured half of it over her head. "What are you doing???" She asked, before she noticed she wasn't talking to the Ranma she had met. "Who are you!!!!????"  
  
"Wait, I can explain."  
  
"You're a- you're a CROSSDRESSER?????!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"NO!!!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Akane? What's going on?" Kasumi asked. Soon, Nabiki and Soun entered the room, and Ranma poured the rest of the tea onto the panda.  
  
"Genma!!!"  
  
"Soun!!!"  
  
~~ (One explanation later)  
  
"So... you're a guy." Akane stated, trying hard to comprehend the strange story she had just heard.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"But you turn into a girl." Kasumi finished.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Ok..." Nabiki was shooting Ranma some _pretty_ strange looks.  
  
"So. You start school with Akane tomorrow, and her training sessions will start after that." Genma told his son.  
  
"School???"  
  
A/N: I hope that was a good first chapter! R+R!!! I'll post the next chapter once I get 5 reviews! 


	2. Boys!

I hate putting up disclaimers, so the first one applies for the rest of the story!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Akane! Ranma! Nabiki!" Kasumi called. "It's time for breakfast!"  
  
"Thanks, Kasumi!" Akane quickly wolfed down the breakfast and rushed out the door. Nabiki and Ranma followed suit.  
  
The three high school students hurried to class, when an old lady accidentally splashed Ranma with cold water. (You know, the same old lady that does that everyday in the anime.)  
  
Ranma groaned. "I'm not going to school as a girl!"  
  
"Fine, fine; Nabiki, go on without us. We'll stop by Dr. Tofu's and get some hot water."  
  
"Dr. Tofu?"  
  
"He's the family doctor." Akane explained, while the two of them ran in the direction of the clinic.  
  
"Dr. Tofu?" Akane asked, opening the door.  
  
"Akane? Who's this?"  
  
"Uh, a friend of mine. She's going to be training me in the arts."  
  
"Ah... shouldn't you be in school?"  
  
"Well, we need some hot water, and it couldn't wait."  
  
"Oh, I was just making tea." Dr. Tofu handed them the kettle and Ranma poured the contents over his head. Before the bewildered doctor could say anything, they ran out the door. As soon as they entered the school gates, a whole herd of boys began attacking Akane, screaming about how they loved her. Ranma watched in the sidelines and took note of the fact that she was beating them single-handedly without breaking a sweat.  
  
"I hate boys, I hate boys, I HATE BOYS!!!!!" She muttered as she knocked half of them unconscious, leaving the rest of them crying for mercy. Finally, as the last boy fell, Akane caught a rose that almost grazed her cheek. She turned around, only to see Kuno. She rolled her eyes and noticed that they only had 30 seconds left to get to class. Just as Kuno began his 'blue thunder' speech, Akane kicked him in the face and motioned for Ranma to follow her into their classroom.  
  
The bell rang 3 seconds before they entered the classroom.  
  
Akane stepped out of the room, closing the door with one hand and holding the bucket with the other.  
  
"What was up with all those guys attacking you?"  
  
"Well, Kuno, the big dolt who threw the rose, announced that whoever could defeat me would win the 'privilege' of dating me."  
  
"So they're all competing to date _you_?" He asked unbelievingly.  
  
"Hey! That's pretty rude of you- especially since you're a guest in my house!!!"  
  
"Gee, sor~ry!"  
  
"Do you have any manners? How did your mother raise you!?" "She didn't! I haven't seen her since I was five!"  
  
"Oh... I'm so sorry. I didn't know. If it's any consolation, my mother died when I was young..."  
  
They both stayed silent until it was time to go back into the classroom.  
  
~~  
  
"Hey Akane!" her friend called as she walked toward the lunch table where Akane was sitting.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Who was that guy you walked in with? He's pretty cute!"  
  
"Well, his name is Ranma Saotome, and he's going to be teaching me in the Arts."  
  
"Is he... well, you know, available?"  
  
"How in the world should I know?"  
  
"I'm just saying that he's a pretty good catch from what I saw, and I'd hate for you to stay single _all_ throughout high school! You'd be better off with him than Kuno, at least."  
  
"Thanks for thinking of me, but like I've said a billion times, I ha-"  
  
"You hate boys- we know! But it's a little immature to still think that 'boys have cooties,' I mean, we're in high school!"  
  
"I do not think they have cooties! I just don't want a boyfriend~! Maybe I am immature, but I can take care of myself, without you trying to play matchmaker."  
  
"Akane I was just-"  
  
"Looking out for me? I'm perfectly fine without a boyfriend, end of conversation." Akane stood and threw away her half-eaten lunch.  
  
The bell rang and Ranma caught up to her as Akane walked to her next class.  
  
"Akane, even though I 'don't have manners,' don't you think you were a little harsh to your friend?"  
  
"I know I was... but they're always trying to find me a boyfriend, and I'm sick of it! Wait... were you eavesdropping?"  
  
"I was a table away! I _overheard_."  
  
"Whatever. I have to get to class."  
  
~~  
  
Akane could hardly concentrate on the lesson. 'Why can't they get the picture? I don't need a boyfriend! My self-esteem isn't so low that I have to have a boy follow me around and shower me with complements every second of the day. If only they would just stop trying! And besides, who is he to tell me how to act?! I've only known him for a day!' After a while, the bell rang again and she flew out of the room and into a rage. She walked home, too annoyed to wait for Ranma or Nabiki, but the strange thing was: by the time she got home, Ranma was already there, waiting to start her lessons.  
  
"Finally!" Ranma sighed. "Were you walking slow on purpose?"  
  
Akane glared at him and went upstairs to change into her gi.  
  
~~  
  
Ranma met Akane in the dojo. "Show me what you can do." Akane did so, looking forward to blowing off some steam. Ranma dodged each blow with ease. "Why are you so angry?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're obviously angry. Your movements are sluggish and there's too much force behind each punch that you aren't able to control where they go. You aren't concentrating at all."  
  
Akane stared at him. He was analyzing everything about her punches. She realized he was right and tried harder to concentrate. She punched and kicked with the right amount of strength and her timing was close to perfect, but still, none of her hits connected. Akane cried out in frustration. She was trying her hardest, but she couldn't hit him at all.  
  
"I hope you're noticing the flaws in your kicks..." The lesson went on like that for a while. Akane realized how skilled he really was in martial arts.  
  
A/N: I know the story is really weird and stupid, but I guess my muse is refusing to cooperate. Sorry for not updating sooner, but my brother has been hogging the computer all the time. 


End file.
